Tis’ the season – for many things.

There are the annual shopping treks to overcrowded stores that seem to
bring more ill will and anger toward mankind than the “happy holidays”
and “good will towards men” instructions that blare too loudly from
overhead speakers.

There is the mandatory gift giving – including the tacky Yankee Swap
gift you picked up in the drug store on the way to the work luncheon;
the struggle to find a side dish to bring to dinner and the pressure to
have the house lit up like the Griswold’s.

But then there are the people who take a step back and look at the
season in a different manner. They find an organization to donate to.
They join a non-profit organization that matches their beliefs. They
seek out something more meaningful than simply cutting a check for a
deduction come tax time.

They spend the rest of the year – long after the gifts are opened and
the lights are returned tangled to their boxes – working to make sure
the “season” remains year-round.

This week supporters welcomed the Wreaths Across America procession as
it made its way from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery, where
organizers will lay donated wreaths at the graves of veterans – an
annual effort they begin to plan for as soon as they return back home.
Richard Rottkov, who took over as the new head of South Portland Land
Trust, will spend this year continuing the organization’s effort to
preserve open space and expanding trail networks throughout the area.

These are just two of the countless organizations, locally, nationally
and internationally, that need help in their plights to spread that
holiday cheer year-round. There is no gift more precious than the
giving of one’s time and nothing as valuable and rewarding than seeing
just one person’s efforts making a difference.

During this busy season, take the time to seek out an organization or effort that fits with your personality and lifestyle.

It’s the best gift you can give – for all involved.